Final Post #15-EDM 310 Reflection Video

Project 16

PLN Final Post

I have added a lot of things to my PLN. I have my social networking sites, such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. I have the EDM 310 Class blog. I have blogger. I have South Alabama's website and also USA Online since many classes use this now. I have my bank link. I have my shopping links. I also have some medical links that relate to me personally. I look forward to adding more as time goes on. I think everyone should have a PLN.

C4K Summary 8-11

I have, once again, had the privilage of following some great kids.

C4K #8
Ryan Rich from Bryant High School posted about a piece of artwork that he created. He created a tapestry of the USS Alabama. I told him that when you put so much effort into something like this, it really shows how much you enjoy what you are doing. This young man is very creative, and I hope he continues working with art.

C4K #9
Emily is a 6th grade student from Australia. She created a post in which she talked about a series of digital stories they were watching called "Inanimate Alice." She talked about some of the episodes and gave a background to the stories. I told her that her interest in digital stories really shines through. I told her that it was great that she had her own ideas about what might be happening in the next episodes of the story. I also told her that a great way to show that you are interested in something is to ask questions.

C4K #10
Amy is a student of Mrs. Huebner. She created a post in which she explained what she learned from a class in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She explained what type of school they talked to and some interesting characteristics about the school. She also explained that they talked to this class through Skype. I told her that it sounded like she was very interested in Skype. I also told her that Skype is a great tool to use to talk to other people

C4K #11
Yasmine is a student of Mr. St. Pierre. She created a post about riding a horse in Tunisia. She explained that this was an Anglo-Arab horse. I told her that I think that it is great to be so passionate about something. She seems to be really interested in horses.

C4T Summary Teacher #4

I have been following Bill Ferriter. Mr. Ferriter is a 6th grade language arts teacher from North Carolina.

On November 14. 2010, Mr. Ferriter created a post entited "The Importance of a PLN..." In this post, Mr. Ferriter explains how important a PLN is. He uses Twitter as an example of building a PLN. He explains how important it is to be able to collaborate with people you never would have been able to talk to otherwise.
In my comment to this post, I explained that I was created my own PLN at the moment. I was honest and told Mr. Ferriter that, before reading his post, I was not grasping the importance of a PLN, mainly because I am so used to my own style of learning. I told him that his post really clarified things, and I thanked him for that.

On December 1, 2010, Mr. Ferriter created a post entitled "New CTQ Report on Teacher Working Conditions." This post focused on reports from the Center for Teaching Quality. Mr. Ferriter talked about mentoring programs and how these programs should stay in place for new teachers. Mr. Ferriter also talked about policymakers making decisions on how to better schools, but never taking the time to listen to real teachers.
In my comment to this post, I commended Mr. Ferriter for speaking about these policymakers. In my opinion, it makes absolutely no sense to make try to better a school if you do not understand the real issues. I also commented on the mentoring programs. I think it is very important for people to have mentors.

Mr. Ferriter's blog addresses some very important issues. I think everyone should read over this blog.

Blog Assignment 13

Alabama Learning Exchange, or ALEX, is a great tool for teacher resources. ALEX offers courses of study, which is basically a lesson plan in a subject to help teachers organize what their students may need to be learning according to their grade level. They offer courses ranging from Language Arts to Driver & Traffic Safety Education. ALEX offers web resources. This section is set up in different tabs according to students, teachers, and administrators and offers great website links. ALEX allows you to create lesson plans and access lesson plans by title, author, or even school. ALEX is great for collaborating. If you create a personal workspace, you can submit your lesson plans for others to see and share ideas. Tutorials and Alabama Department of Education Program Websites are available. There is also a page called Podcast Treasury that has downloads, content, and links for resources. ALEXville allows you to access other resources such as their blog. There is even a search tab to look up things faster on the site.

I think that it is great that something like this exists. Some people are not as lucky as we are to be able to collaborate with others and have access to websites and lesson plans and blogs. ALEX makes it easier for future educators to feel like they are not alone in this journey we call education. I think resources like ALEX will help me tremendously as a teacher.

Additional Assignment #5

We were assigned to look at a blog by John T. Spencer. We were told to look at four of his posts. In these posts, Mr. Spencer does a great job telling us how he relates to his students. He also tells us how technology can relate to the classroom. He is the type of teacher who wants to get to know his students. He wants them to learn meaningful things, not necessarily fun things. If technology and language, such as metaphors, can help his students to learn meaningful and beautiful things, then that is awesome!

I think everyone should visit John T. Spencer's blog and read the posts entitled, "Just Teach Them To Solve for X," "Sketchy Portraits: 8th Grade Identity and Pencils," "He Just Likes the Class for the Pencils." and "The Medium Shapes the Learning."

Project 15

Project 6

Television Habits Summary

This project was very interesting. I chose to survey people's television habits because I know that I watch entirely too much television. I wanted to know how television affected other lives. I also wanted to know how much their surroundings and gender played a role in this.

I had 20 people participate in my survey, the majority of which were female. This worked out for me because I, too, am a female. The majority of the people who answered this survey were between the ages of 18 and 25, with a few over the age of 25. Again, I fall into the age range of the majority of the participants. I decided to ask about living arrangements. I live with my parents and we spend time together watching our favorite television shows. Most of my participants live with others and do not have children. I also do not have children.

After asking these personal questions, I began asking about television habits. The majority of my participants said that they only watch television 1-5 hours per week. It was a close call between actually paying attention to the television when it is on and not paying attention to it. I can understand this because a lot of the time, I have it on for background noise and am not even paying attention to what is on. It was also a close call when it came to watching television alone or with others. Like I said earlier, my family and I spend time together and watch our favorite television shows, but I can understand wanting time for yourself. Most people said that they watch television during the evening/night. I am definitely a night owl, and this is also when I do most of my television viewing. I also wanted to know what types of television shows people like to watch. I am a very diverse person, so I will watch just about anything. When given the choices of sitcoms, cartoons, reality television, soap operas, documentaries, and dramas, sitcoms came in first place, with documentaries and dramas not far behind. I also asked my participants what their favorite television show was and the answers were very different, ranging from "General Hospital" to "American Pickers."

I learned that I have a lot in common with the majority of the people who answered my survey. Our personal lives and our television habits are very similar. I started this survey thinking that I watch entirely too much television, and that view has not really changed. However, it makes me feel better that I am not alone.

Progress Report on Final Project

The semester is coming to an end, and this means that our final project is approaching. I do not have much of a report right now because we have just recently started talking about it. Right now, my project is still in the brainstorming stage. I am sharing ideas with a group and cannot wait to put those ideas into play!

Blog Assignment 12

Instructions:
Think about the technology you have learned about this semester. Write about your favorite teaching tool concerning technology and explain why.

I think that my favorite thing we have learned about this semester would have to be blogging. We have had so many opportunities to see how blogging can better a classroom. We have had the opportunity to visit class blogs and individual blogs of teachers and students of every age.

I think that it is important for students to feel like they can express their creativity for the world to see. Through blogging, they can communicate with other people and have people give them insight. Blogging even includes the parents. Parents are able to access their children's school work by visiting the class blog or the student's individual blog. I think this is important because the parent does not feel like they are in the dark when it comes to the classroom. If they have a concern they can check the blogs and make an appointment with the teacher if they have further questions.

I think blogging has the capability of bringing everyone closer. No one feels like it is a waste of time. I can say this due to the individual student blogs I have read this semester. These students really get into these blogging assignments. They show their creativity, and you can really see them strive toward their goals. It is a great thing to see!

Project 14-Teach Someone Something

How To Make Nachos

Blog Assignment 11

Ms. Cassidy is a teacher who is very open to technology. One of her teaching tools that I have found useful is blogging. She has a classroom blog, and her students blog to express their creativity. I, honestly, started this class thinking that blogging was pointless. However, my opinion has changed dramatically. Blogging can do a number of things in the classroom. Ms. Cassidy talked about how her students loved blogging because they knew that people from all over the world could see their work and comment on their work. They like sharing. It makes them feel accomplished. The parents also are able to access what their students are doing at any point. I think blogging makes everyone feel involved in the classroom.

I think it is very helpful that Ms. Cassidy has a technology coordinator to back her up and help her talk to administrators and her superintendent. She had said that some of the administrators that she had been around never discouraged her use of technology, but were not really very interested. Some people in the world of education seem to be turned off by the use of technology. They do not see how useful it can be. I guess some people just do not welcome change. I think we need to try to open people up to technology. Sometimes just a taste of it can change a person's mind.

C4T Summary Teacher #3

I have been following Mr. John T. Spencer. His blog is very interesting.

On October 24, 2010, he posted "What Testing Does to Good Teachers." In this post, he talks about how crazy standardized testing makes teachers. The scores on these tests affect the way people look at teachers. It should not be this way. In my comment, I told him that I have noticed how crazy teachers get during this testing time. I have seen this through substitute teaching. I brought up that sometimes kids freeze up on tests, and this is something we have to recognize.

On October 30, 2010, he posted "Failure Is Part of Science." This post talked about learning that things do not always go as planned. His kids were doing independent science projects and were getting frustrated because the outcomes were not as they had expected. I told him that this was something I think we all experience. This is a great way to learn all about the scientific method.

Mr. Spencer's blog is a great read. Everyone should check it out!

Summary C4K 3-7

For the past month, I have followed some amazing kids.

In week 3, I followed James, a year 5 student from New Zealand. One of his posts told a story of a captain and his journey, but his picture stole the show. He drew a picture depicting the story. It was colorful and really drew the reader's eye. I told him that he has great artistic abilities. You can really tell that he has a very active imagination.

In week 4, I followed Sunita, a year 6 student. One of her posts talked about her best friend, Chole. She talked about the sleepover that the two of them were going to have. I told her that it was important to have someone to turn to.

In week 5, I followed Sam, a 7th grade student from Australia. One of Sam's posts talked about goals. Sam's goals include listening, behaving, and not getting distracted. I told Sam that everyone gets distracted at some point or another.

I also followed a senior in high school who talked about what she had learned in school. I told her that she learned how to do something that can be very hard to do, and that is to respect other people's opinions. People can learn a lot from the opinions of others.

In week 6, I followed Colton, a 6th grade student from Iowa. One of his posts talked about his brother going to Afghanistan. I told him that I could relate because I recently had a friend deploy to Afghanistan. You have to stay strong during times like this.

In week 7, I followed Erica, a 5th grade student. One of Erica's posts talked about her goal of becoming a detective. She talked about how drugs and alcohol would get in the way of that. I told Erica that she had strong goals and that it was great that she was so driven.

Additional Assignment #3

Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Educational Paradigms



I think the most important thing that Sir Ken Robinson says in his presentation is that we are currently moving our children through education by using anaesthetisation. We should be getting our students' attention instead of putting them to sleep.

Thus far, my experience with South Alabama's College of Education has been a positive one. My advisor and my teachers seem to agree with Sir Ken Robinson's views. They look to inspire instead of bore their students. They work to further their students and ready them for the future.

As a future educator, I hope that I can stimulate the minds of my students. I hope I can open them up to the power of thinking and make them want to learn.

This presentation was probably one of my favorites to watch. I loved the artistic aspect, and Sir Ken Robinson always pulls me in with his humor. If I participated in a presentation like this one, I would probably take on the role of the author or narrator. I cannot draw to save my life, but I am creative when it comes to writing and speaking.

Blog Assignment 10

An Open Letter To Educators
Morgan Bayda



Morgan's post really spoke to me. She talks about information and how we access that information. To make her point, she references a video by Dan Brown. She explains that she sometimes has trouble staying awake in her classes because her teachers do not allow communication with others or allow hands on learning. They spit out information, and that is how they expect their students to learn.

I have the exact same problem. I am not able to sit through a class in which the teacher is just talking the entire time about something we are going to have to memorize for the test. I learn better when it comes to hands on learning.

Before reading this post, I did not stop to think about how a University works these days. You have to literally pay for information. The Internet gives us this information for free! It almost makes a person wonder why they are attending a University to begin with.



Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home!
This is a post that shows how one person takes a problem and focuses on the solution instead of the problem itself. He is faced with the problem that if children take pencils home, they will score lower on standardized tests. He comes up with the solution that if he keeps the children interested, the pencils will not make a difference on the test scores. Although he is challenged by another person on his views, he stands firm to his beliefs. This is truly inspiring!


Two Questions That Can Change Your Life-Daniel Pink

Two questions that can change your life from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

Daniel Pink's video gives us two questions. "What is your sentence?" This sentence about yourself provides insight into who you are. I have put a lot of thought into my sentence. My sentence, as of right now, is as follows: She spent her time helping others to further themselves. I am only 21 years old, so I am sure that my sentence will be revised, but I hope to convey the same message.

Daniel's second question makes you think about yourself. "Was I better today than yesterday?" I think that this is something I am going to carry with me. If you ask this question everyday, it will give you motivation to make the next day better and the next day and the next.

Project 13-Smartboard Instruction

Tiffany Morris (teacher) and LaChandra Lett (student) explain the value of money by using a Smartboard.

Skype Interview

Blog Assignment 9

"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung

Mr. McClung's post has so much useful information. He has seven major points about what he has learned during his first year of teaching. His first point is how to read the crowd, in which he talks about making lessons student centered. His second point is to be flexible. He says, "No lesson is ever perfect. The lesson you teach and the one you plan are always different." His third point is to communicate, in which he explains that communication makes things easier around the workplace. His fourth point is to be reasonable. He tells us not to set our expectations out of the reach of our students. His fifth point is not to be afraid of technology. It can be scary, but keep at it. His sixth point is to listen to your students. There will be a shared respect, and the students will know that you care about them. His seventh point is to never stop learning. There is always more to learn, especially when you are working as a teacher.

I think all teachers, whether they are just starting out or have been teaching for fifty years, should read and follow Mr. McClung's points. They are valuable lessons. As a future educator, I hope that I will be able to make use of these lessons. I think a great teacher is one who embodies all of these qualities.

Project 11

Project 9b

Blog Assignment 8

Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream

Dr. Miller explains how technology can be useful. When it comes to reading or doing projects, we no longer have to go to the library for books. He gives us an example of a project concerning voting records. On the Internet, he found voting records concerning the presidential election. Not only did he find voting records, but he also found videos of people's reactions to the outcome.

Dr. Miller also tells us that in this digital environment, we have information that is updated almost immediately at our hands. We are able to share information and collaborate with anyone and everyone. He believes that technology will only increase and students will be using it more and more. He tells us that many people cannot teach with technology, like writing with multimedia, due to lack of resources.

Dr. Miller's lecture is truly inspiring. Classrooms need technology to teach the students about the world. It is hands on. I think that it is just horrible that the lack of resources are depriving students of learning something that is so amazing.


The Chipper Series
EDM 310 for Dummies

I think both of these videos are great. "The Chipper Series" depicts someone who procrastinates and makes bad decisions, but later realizes that the decisions need to be revisited. "EDM 310 for Dummies" depicts frustrated students who do not understand their class.

I would love to make a video that has a lesson involved like "The Chipper Series" of participate in a video that makes light of a frustrating situation like "EDM 310 for Dummies." A video that shows frustrations concerning college in general would be interesting.


Why Smartboards Are A Dumb Initiative
Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards
Getting SMARTER with SMART Boards

There is a controversy present where smartboards are concerned. Some people think they are great, while others believe they are useless. Michael Straton and Bill Ferriter have written articles that tell us how useless smartboards are. They think that they are a waste of money and are used just to make the schools look better.
I found a blog entitle, "Getting SMARTER with SMART Boards." It gives examples of things you can do with smartboards. It shows things like interactive science simulations, games, and even an animated water cycle.

I am not sure about my views on smartboards. I have never used one before. However, I am very willing to learn.

Additional Assignment #2

How Kids Teach Themselves
Sugata Mitra





This is an amazing video. It shows how intrigued kids really are about learning. Mr. Mitra put computers up, allowed children to access them, and watched what happened. These children took it upon themselves to learn about various subjects.

I think that learners who are motivated are very capable of teaching themselves. If they take resources into their own hands, they can do anything. I think this is very true concerning kids. I've seen so many kids, including the ones in this video, who are intrigued by new thoughts. I think kids are more open-minded than adults. I think that there are certain conditions needed to teach oneself, be it a child or an adult. I think access to computers and the Internet play a big role in these needed conditions. The Internet gives us access to more than we could possibly imagine. I think computers provide a sort of "awe" for people. Computers keep it interesting and, therefore, create an interest to learn.

Motivation is key when it comes to doing anything. If you don't have motivation, it's not really possible to accomplish anything, and this includes learning. Learning means asking questions and finding answers. When you ask questions, you show that you're interested in your subject, and if you're motivated enough, you'll find those answers. In order to motivate someone to learn, I think you have to make it interesting for them or even challenge them. If they find it boring or too easy, they won't learn anything. This is very true for me. If I'm not challenged, I'm not interested, and therefore, I don't learning anything. I just do the assignment to be done with it.

I definitely find that I have a tendency to teach myself. I do a lot of research on a lot of different things all the time. If I am interested in a subject, I learn more about it. I also teach myself when I don't understand something, such as an assignment given. I think teachers play an important role in learning because they introduce new ideas and serve as a support system.

I think the most important thing that I will take away from this video is the fact that kids really do want to learn. I think all aspiring teachers (and even current teachers) should consider this. Don't assume that children aren't interesting in something. Give kids a chance, and they may surprise you.

PLN Progress

I had a rough start with my PLN. I was a little confused, but after looking over everything a few more times, I began to understand. I only have a few websites right now, but I have a list of more that I can add. I can't wait until it's all finished!

Project 9a: Timeline!

C4T Summary #2

I have been following Brian Crosby. His blog is entitled "Learning is Messy." Pretty catchy, huh?

The first post I read on this blog was called "Make Way For Awe-Opinion." It was posted on September 25, 2010. This post is a type of feedback to an article called "Make Way for Awe" posted on NBC's Education Nation. This article talked about technology and a small inflatable dome that teaches kids different wonders of our world and universe. Mr. Crosby tells us that he works at an "at risk" school and that the idea presented in NBC's article more than likely didn't happen at an "at risk" school due to the curriculum. He also talks of reformers who try to make changes, even though they "have very little or no experience in education." These reformers more than likely "have either fame, fortune or are in politics." I let Mr. Crosby know how inspiring his comments were. I think that children need to be taught outside of the box. I think people need to realize that children should be introduced to the world outside and not just a textbook.

The second post I read on this blog was called "Thanksgiving Lesson Idea(s) While There Is Time. It was posted on October 6, 2010. Mr. Crosby posted about a project his class did concerning Thanksgiving. They did research about what was really eaten during the first Thanksgiving. The students brought in food, such as duck, cod, wild berries, and bread, while Mr. Crosby provided the turkey. A few other things were donated by other people at their school. The students then wrote about their experiences. I told Mr. Crosby that what he has done here is what real hands on learning is all about. I'm sure the students loved it. Other teachers should really take note of this.

Blog Assignment 7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Randy Pausch spoke of various techniques that he has used over the years. One technique that Randy spoke about was teaching his students to be self-reflective. He did this by making charts that showed how easy his students were to work with when it came to working in groups. This chart let each student know if their peers thought they needed to work on skills within themselves. I think this is a very interesting technique. I think more classes should do something of this sort.

Randy also talked about something he calls a head fake. This technique allows someone to do one thing, while actually learning something completely different. One example he tells us about, an example that a friend of his thought of, is using storytelling to teach students computer programming. I think this is an awesome technique to use. It can take something that may seem hard or boring and turn into something completely different.

I really loved the way he talked about this childhood dreams. The one thing that stuck out to me was the fact that he values, so highly, the one dream he didn't reach. He tells us how the experience of football bettered his life. He says he learned so much more by not getting to the NFL than anything else. I guess the experience made the difference.

Randy Pausch has to be one of the most inspiring people that I have ever seen. He showed us that he is a strong person. He showed us that he has the ability to find the humor in anything and everything. I think what I loved most about this speech was the fact that it wasn't meant for any of us. It was meant for his kids. My thoughts go out to his family.

Podcast-Project 8

Podcast

Blog Assignment 6

The Networked Student
Wendy Drexler

While watching this video, I realized that this type of learning reminds me of EDM 310. Just like a student of connectivism, we use different tools to help us learn. We use things like Delicious, iTunes, Google Scholar, and various search engines and blogs.

The video made a point of asking why a networked student would even need a teacher. I think teachers play an important role in the life of any type of student. The video uses phrases like "learning concierge" and "learning incubator" to describe a teacher. Teachers are who we go to for questions and answers. Teachers teach us how to learn.

I think that a networked student is a very good idea. Through networking, we can experience a world outside of textbooks. We can start to understand that a textbook does not have all the information we might want to know. There are so many other possibilities in the world of learning.


A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEls3tq5wIY

This 7th grader is a very organized student. I, myself, try to work in an organized way. She explains that her science class is basically paperless. The students are given a freedom that lets them realize what responsibility is. I think more classes should introduce personal learning environments to help their students.

The Machine is Changing Us
Michael Wesch

I found this video pretty hard to follow. It seemed like there were a lot of topics going on at one time, most of them making fun of one generation or another. I did, however, like the fact that he used quotes from different sources to make his points. He talked about the different uses and outcomes of media, such as television and Youtube. This video did make me think of how powerful Youtube can be. Some people really put themselves out there. I watch videos on Youtube all the time, some for fun and some for work related things. I still wish the video would have been a little clearer.

Summary C4K Comments 1 and 2

I have recently been getting to know Jasmin, an 8th grade student at Noel Elementary. She likes listening to R&B music. She also considers herself to be shy at times; something the two of us have in common. This year, she really wants to do better when it comes to turning in her school work. She wants better grades, and she also wants to work on her listening skills. I hope she follows through with all of her goals. Jasmin definitely seems like a great kid!

Blog Post 5

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
Joe Dale

Joe Dale did a great job showing everyone how effective podcasts can be in the classroom. I didn't know much about podcasts before this class. After watching this video, I now know that children respond in a very positive way to this teaching tool. It grasps their attention. they aren't forced to sit there and read from their textbooks all day. They can listen and even create their own podcasts. Podcasts even allow children to have sick days without worry and allow parents to be involved in their children's learning. Neither will feel left out or pushed aside. I think making podcasts interesting to people on all levels is an important thing that I will take with me.


Eagle Nest Radio and Class Blog
http://blog.woodward.edu/ps_edmison/?cat=103

These third graders really seem to love this type of learning. Their voices show how much fun they have in creating their own lessons. I wish that I could have been able to participate in things like this when I was their age. I think that when things are hands on, like these podcasts are, we retain more of the information. I also think that when we are making our own podcasts, we have to follow the lead of these students. We have to be interested in our topics. If we aren't, we sure do have to pretend that we are. Our listeners will know in our voices if we are bored, and in return, our listeners will be bored and make our podcasts ineffective.


Langwitches
http://langwitches.org/blog/category/podcasting/

The blog, "Langwitches," is a great source that explains how effective podcasts can be. this blog has great posts that illustrate how children seem to be very attracted to podcasts. They get to not only take a break from the usual curriculum, but get to participate in an exciting way to learn. This blog also has posts that show us that technology isn't something that takes away from learning. It is something that enhances learning. It grabs a student's attention and runs with it. I learned that some people can be put off by podcasts and other technology, but we can take our own podcasts and try to show other people just what these things can do.

Blog Assignment 4

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
Dr. Scott McLeod

I believe the post, "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?" does a fantastic job of revealing that technology makes a huge impact on our lives. There are both positive and negative aspects of technology. It can be dangerous, exciting, and even overwhelming. The end of this post is my favorite part. Throughout the post, Dr. McLeod lets everyone know about the negative stuff associated with technology, but at the end he lets us know that technology gives us a leg up if we use it, and I absolutely agree.

Dr. Scott McLeod is an education blogger and also the co-creator of "Did You Know?"



The iSchool Initiative

In the video, "The iSchool Initiative," a high school student offers up a way to save both schools and students money. He tells us that in the future, school could be linked to the iTouch. He gives us examples of applications already in progress, such as the scientific calculator and iHomework. He then points out that if applications like the ones just mentioned are already here, just think of what else could come. He claims this would only cost students about $150, while saving them around $600 overall concerning school costs. He calls this program the iSchool.

I personally don't think this will happen. I am fully aware of the progress technology can make in our lives, but this just seems out of reach to me. Yes, it may save a lot of money overall, but what about those families who can't afford the iSchool? Do they get left behind?



The Lost Generation

In this presentation, we are given examples of things that are supposed to happen in our lifetime. We are supposed to face divorce, hold money over family, and become "apathetic and lethargic." All of this may very well happen. It will happen unless we choose to stop it.

I loved the way this presentation was put together. The broken sentence pieces scrolled down like credits from a movie. At the end, the sentence pieces are being said in reverse, revealing that these aspects of our generation can be reversed just as easily as they can be left alone. Only we can save our generation from becoming lost.



Eric Whitachre's Virtual Choir

This made me think of our music business today. Because of technology, we have people singing songs on the radio together without ever meeting each other in person. Each do their own part in a studio, and the parts are pieced together. In this video, all 185 members of this virtual choir are brought together by the technology of the Internet along with videos and microphones. This is truly truly amazing. Because of technology today, you no longer have to be next to, or even in the same country as, another person to create a masterpiece together.

Additional Assignment #1

This week I was introduced to two new tools, Google Squared and Wolfram Alpha. Before this assignment, I had never heard of either of these tools. Google Squared is great for searches because it takes your topic and organizes it into a table. You can customize the table by adding or taking away aspects of the table itself. It even provides sources for the information it gives. This is great for any type of search if you want organization and sources. Wolfram Alpha takes your topic and gives you all types of information instead of just the basic stuff. It expands your search. Both of these search tools are simple and easy for anyone to use.

I did some searches on both Google Squared and Wolfram Alpha. Using Google Squared, I searched for things like populations, capitols, and languages of different countries. Using Wolfram Alpha, I searched for things like my birth date and the city and state in which I was born. You can search for just about anything on these sites and get more than enough information.

As for my thoughts on the video, "Did You Know? 3.0" by Karl Fisch, they have changed. Dr. Strange pointed out that we have have to look at things in terms of population. China and India are approximately 4 times the size of the U.S. When the video tells me that China will be the number one English speaking country in the world, I have to remember that the U.S. makes up only about 25% of China. Therefore, China only needs 25% of their people to speak English in order to outnumber the English speakers of the U.S. As far as statistics go, I realize that we can't just read statistics. We must look at them and then understand why they are the way they are. I would like to thank Dr. Strange for redirecting my thoughts.

I also read "The Stable Boy and the iPad" by Michael Noer. I really do believe that this article does a fantastic job in showing that children are interested in learning and actually want to learn. Children are very perceptive, and we, as educators and future educators, must remember that.

Project #5

C4T Summary #1

I have been following Mrs. Paige Baggett. She is an assistant professor at South Alabama in the College of Education.

The first post of Mrs. Baggett's that I read and commented on was posted on August 16, 2010 and was entitled "Chuck Close." In this post, there was a video called "Chuck Close: A Portrait in Progress." In this video, we are introduced to an artist named Chuck Close. We get a look at his talents concerning portraits and hear some of his views on his work. I commented on this post and told Mrs. Baggett how this video made me feel. The words that follow are a summary of what I told her. While watching this video, I became mesmerized by the lifelike qualities of his portraits. His work spoke to me because I could see how much he cared about his work just by looking at the details of his art. I also noticed that Chuck Close sat in a wheel chair, and I felt a connection because I, too, work to continue to do what I love while facing medical issues. Chuck Close is a very inspiring artist.

The second post that I read and commented on was posed on September 10, 2010 and was called "Arts Field Experience Reflections." This post talked of an assignment that Mrs. Baggett has her students do. It is a field experience assignment concerning an artistic even. They must attend an event, whether it be a dance, music, theater, or visual art event. She also revealed that she doesn't make her students do anything she wouldn't do, so she shared her experience at the LoDa Artwalk. I commented on this post and explained to Mrs. Baggett that this event would definitely be something that I would be interested in. I also gave her a notion that I had become familiar with. I told her that I have noticed that some people aren't very willing to go outside of their comfort zones, so when they have to go to an artistic event for a class, it opens their mind to something they may not have chosen for themselves.

If you would like to visit Paige Baggett's blog, here is the URL.
http://ponderingpaige.blogspot.com/

Blog Assignment 3

"A Vision of Students Today"
Michael Wesch


"A Vision of Students Today" is a representation of what today's students face on a daily basis. I found this video to be pretty accurate. Students are faced with technology everyday. While in classes, some students are on their laptops doing other things besides classwork, they're texting on their cell phones, and even listening to MP3 players. Even I am guilty of texting while in class. I'm not saying every student does this in every class, but it does happen. Sometimes it almost seems like a distraction rather than a help.

Students spend more hours than there are in a day doing homework, sleeping, and using technology, such as computers to log onto social networks. Technology has brought us a long way, but we have to find an equal balance between technology and teaching. At the end of the video, it shows a chalkboard, but it also shows a teacher involved in his class. A chalkboard may seem boring without pictures and videos, but it keeps the teacher involved.


"It's Not About the Technology"
Kelly Hines

In her article, Kelly Hines addresses the issues of technology and teaching. Technology plays an important role in the world, but the foundations of teaching are just as, if not more, important as technology. The act of teaching cannot be forgotten about just because we have computers and electronic boards in the classrooms now. Mrs. Hines elaborates when she explains that even though effort is put into the act, if your students aren't understanding, then no teaching has occurred. Teachers learn just as much as students do, or at least they should.

This article also explains how to work toward becoming a 21st century teacher, focusing on core skills and outcomes. We have to embrace creativity and innovation. We must teach our kids how to use critical thinking and communication. Technology is great, but we'd be nowhere without these skills, and together, we can go even further.


"Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?"
Karl Fisch

Today, some teachers are technologically literate, while others aren't. Is this okay? Karl Fisch says, "If a teacher today is not technologically literate-and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more-it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read or write." I absolutely agree with this statement. It is impossible for a teacher to teach something that they aren't familiar with. You can't teach someone to read if you are unable to read yourself. You can't teach someone how to understand a computer if you can barely operate one.

Technology is a part of our lives. It always will be. We need teachers who are willing to stand up to the plate and take the world of technology on face to face. We are always learning, and we always will be. We have to embrace it!


Gary Hayes' Social Media Count

Gary Hayes' Social Media Count shows how fast changes in media occur. Every second, something changes. There are more blogs, more Facebook members, and more Google searches. This means a lot for my professional career as a teacher. I will always be surrounded by media, and what I knew two seconds ago is changing right now. I will have to learn how to use these changes to ready my students for the future.

Wordle Post for Project 2

My Wordle!

Blog Assignment 2

"Did You Know? 3.0"
Karl Fisch

While watching "Did You Know? 3.0," my mouth dropped in awe. There are so many things about our country compared to that of others that I never considered. Let's start off with some sizes. The videos states, "If you're one in a million in China...there are 1,300 people just like you." Do the math. The video even informs you about the number of births that occur within the 4 minutes and 56 seconds of this video. These numbers are as follow: India bore 395 babies, China bore 274 babies, and the U.S. came in last with 67 babies. Is it just me, or do those other countries procreate more than we do?

The education and technological information in this video are also mind blowing. The video predicts that China, not the U.S., will become the number one country in which you will find English speaking people. It seems to me that China is readying their people for the real world. Education and population go hand in hand when it comes to India. According to the video, "25% of India's population with the highest IQ's...is greater than the total population of the United States." All I can say is wow! India houses a lot of extremely smart people. I'm not degrading India's education system, but I can't help but think that the IQ numbers wouldn't be where they are without the population numbers.

I feel like our generation is a generation of technology. If it's computerized and easy to access, it's more than likely going to get our attention. This is why the iPod took as little as 3 years to reach an audience of 50 million. We don't need the radio because we have MP3 players. We don't need the television because we have computers and cell phones that play movies and television shows for us. We rely more on electronics than anything else. It's sad, but it's true. I think countries, such as Japan, have so many technological advances because maybe they're using this technology to further themselves instead of worrying about what television show they missed last night. Don't get me wrong because I'm sure they keep up with entertainment as well, but Japan is creating a computer that can do more than the human brain can. That says a lot.

Technology is changing everyday. The world of technology will never stay the same from one minute to the next. You will always have something new to learn, and in my opinion, I wouldn't have it any other way.



"Mr. Winkle Wakes"
Mathew Needleman

"Mr. Winkle Wakes" is a short but to the point video. Mr. Winkle wakes up after 100 years to find that almost everything around him has changed. There are buildings with people using printers, computers, and web cams. The hospitals have new equipment assisting them in saving lives. Mr. Winkle is overwhelmed by all of this. In other words, he's totally freaked out. I would be too if everything I had known was different.

However, when Mr. Winkle comes to a school, he realizes that children are still learning. This video is a good example of how learning will always be a part of any world. Things may change around us, but we will always have something new to learn about. Besides, life would be completely boring if we knew everything.



"The Importance of Creativity"
Sir Ken Robinson

I love the way Sir Ken Robinson entertains his audience while making his point. He does just this in "The Importance of Creativity." He is so funny, and because of this quality, you want to keep listening to what he has to say. He talks of how people are growing out of creativity due to education. Education makes it hard for people to not be afraid of being wrong. We see this in children today.

I have to completely agree with Robinson's argument. I have been a substitute teacher going on 3 years now, and I can see students not stepping out of their comfort zones for fear of being wrong about something. Robinson talks of the importance of educating the whole being, and he is absolutely right. We can't suppress one part of a child because it's not the academic aspect of them. We have to let our children, our leaders of tomorrow, feel free to be themselves.



"Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts"
Vicki Davis

In "Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts," Vicki Davis is shown using technology to connect her students from Southern Georgia to the rest of the world. She teachers her students to be comfortable with technology, and let's face it, technology is what our world revolves around. She customizes the curriculum based on the needs of her students, and this is an amazing aspect of her teaching techniques.

Davis, in my opinion, embodies what a real teacher should be doing. She is getting her students ready for the future. She empowers her students. She teachers them to be thinkers. There should be more teachers like Vicki Davis.

Blog Assignment 1

Hello! My name is Tiffany Morris. I am a 21 year old student at the University of South Alabama, majoring in secondary education and Language Arts. I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and lived in the state for about eight years before moving to South Mississippi, my current residence. I have a great passion for education. I have been a substitute teacher going on three years now and have found that teaching is one of the most amazing jobs in the world. Being able to teach someone something new and introduce them to new ideas is very humbling. This is why I have decided to make teaching a part of the rest of my life. Family is another passion of mine. My family has been my support system throughout everything. I have my mom, Bridget, and my step-dad, James. I have my sister, Courtney, and my brother, Brian. I also have two of the most adorable and loving Yorkshire Terriers in the world, Mollee and Tootsie Roll.

As for my personal interests, I tend to be drawn to the artistic side of things. I absolutely love to sing and dance. I am a member of the South Alabama Show Choir. I also love karaoke. I am a pro at karaoke if I do say so myself. Writing is another huge thing in my life. I write for The Vanguard, South Alabama's student newspaper, and also write for my own personal pleasure because it can be extremely therapeutic.

My outlook on life has changed dramatically within the past three years. In November of 2007, I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis. This is a very painful and incurable bladder disease that affects almost every aspect of my life, including diet, intimacy, and getting used to taking medication everyday for the rest of forever. I have learned to not look at this disease as an illness, but as an inconvenience. I work around it. I take charge and try to live each day to the best of my ability. I have learned that life can be amazing if you let it!

This is a picture of me when I was just a baby. That smile is a little creep isn't it?

This is another picture of me when I was little. Surprisingly now, I'm afraid of dolls.




This is a picture of my mom, my sister, and I at my sister's high school graduation.

This is one of our Yorkshire Terriers. Her name is Mollee.

This is our other Yorkshire Terrier. Her name is Tootsie Roll.

This is a picture of my step-dad, James.

This is a picture of my brother, Brian.